As a photographer, understanding and navigating through various creative cycles is essential. This video delves into a topic every photographer, regardless of their experience level, will encounter at some point. Its relevance extends beyond photography, encompassing all artistic pursuits, offering insights and strategies for dealing with different phases of creativity.

When you are new to photography, it can feel like professionals know exactly what they want and how to achieve it, but that is how social media can be quite misleading. The truth is that professionals make mistakes all the time; in fact, they embrace them. This excellent video tutorial will take you behind the scenes of a photographer's portrait lighting process and show you how mistakes can lead you to a great final image.

Have you ever struggled to find new places to photograph and felt like you have exhausted all the locations near you? Dylan Blackburn has a few great tips for finding new locations.

The beauty of artificial lighting is that you can create looks that simply would not be possible using only the sun. One of the greatest technical challenges for a photographer is lighting a group portrait so that every individual is well lit but so the overall look is still sculpted and compelling rather than flat and two-dimensional. If you would like to really take your portrait lighting to the next level, check out this awesome video tutorial that will take you behind the scenes of a cinematic magazine cover photo shoot and show you how to do it yourself.

Understanding the influence of shapes is a crucial aspect often overlooked by many practitioners in the field. Shapes are not just basic elements of design; they're powerful tools that can evoke emotions and tell stories, making their study essential for photographers aiming to enhance their visual storytelling.

There's a lot of advice floating around that can seem helpful but might actually be hurting your photography career. Some of the most common suggestions, especially the ones circulating on YouTube, can mislead you and even stall your progress.

With social media, it is easier than ever to quickly compare your work to that of dozens or even hundreds of other photographers. Is that always a good thing? Is it always bad? The truth is a bit more nuanced, and it is an important thing to think about to promote healthy development as a photographer, which is what this excellent video essay discusses.

Some people believe that photographers who share industry secrets do so because they can’t make enough money from photography alone. The argument is that no one running a successful business would willingly give away valuable knowledge unless they needed another income stream. That assumption ignores the reality of how knowledge, competition, and creativity actually work in the industry.

We often hear about how gear does not matter, and while that is a well-meaning sentiment, the truth is a bit more nuanced than that. In fact, the right piece of gear can actually make you a better photographer. This great video essay discusses why that is and will help you find a little inspiration along the way.

Navigating wedding ceremonies as a photographer involves more than just capturing the typical scenes. It’s essential to approach these events with a strategy that ensures you're ready to seize every moment with creativity and precision.

There are few more frustrating feelings than boredom, particularly if you need to be creative for a living. However, if you can harness that and make it work for you, boredom can be the catalyst for outlandish creativity you might not have otherwise thought of.

Photography often requires mastering various genres, and understanding their unique challenges can make you a more versatile and capable professional. From weddings to commercial work, each type of photography has something valuable to teach, and embracing this diversity can sharpen your skills and broaden your creative perspective.

As busy at professional photographers are with a myriad of different things, it might seem ridiculous to suggest adding a personal project on top of the pile. However, many professionals will tell you that a personal project can be the most important thing you do with your camera. This excellent video tutorial discusses how to get one off the ground and to see it through to the end.

When do you start thinking about cropping? Although it is something most of us usually do in editing software after we’ve taken our photos, I’d suggest thinking about cropping before pressing the shutter.

It’s no secret that photographers from various genres are experiencing a decline in bookings. The ease of using a smartphone and the quality that anyone can get from those devices have reduced the need to hire a professional for small and even mid-level shoots. Wedding photography is a genre where people are accustomed to hiring professional photographers, and the smartphone has had a lesser impact here.

In today's fast-paced and digitized world, finding solace and maintaining good mental health has become crucial. There are many ways one can find an escape from it all, and one of those is the powerful ally of photography. Beyond being a mere hobby or artistic expression, photography can have numerous benefits for mental well-being. Engaging with photography can have a positive impact on a person's state of mind, providing them with a creative outlet, promoting mindfulness, fostering self-expression, and connecting them with their surroundings.

Every photographer has faced it—that sinking feeling of disappointment when things just don’t go as planned. Maybe it’s a matter of expectations, or perhaps a missed opportunity. But these moments are part of the process. Understanding how to handle these frustrations is crucial for anyone serious about photography.

Foggy mornings offer an unparalleled opportunity to capture moments that feel otherworldly. The mist transforms everyday scenes into something more mysterious and peaceful, making it the perfect time to head out with your camera.

No matter which genre you work in, you will encounter difficult clients at one time or another, but given the amount of stress and investment that go into weddings, you might find yourself in these situations a bit more often as a wedding photographer. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer offering some helpful advice for tackling those situations to ensure everyone is happy and you don't find yourself exhausted by the experience.

When it comes to building a successful photography business, the ability to know where and how to find new clients is crucial to long-term survival, as they will not always come to your door. Every genre requires different techniques and methods to accomplish that, and this fantastic video tutorial will give you a ton of great advice on how to track down and land new food photography clients.

Getting started with flash can be both exciting and intimidating; it is an entirely new set of techniques, but it also enables a wide variety of creative opportunities that simply would not be possible otherwise. If you are ready to tackle artificial lighting, it is important to get off on the right foot. This great video tutorial features an experienced beauty and portrait photographer discussing why it is best to start your lighting journey with no more than two lights.

Landscape photography is a genre with an above-average emphasis on technical skill and perfection, and we often try to avoid making any mistakes. Mistakes are not always bad, though, and occasionally, they can even lead to "happy accidents," as Bob Ross would say. This great video shows how mistakes can sometimes be a good thing and why you might want to embrace them just a bit more.

Effective portrait lighting isn't about sticking to strict rules or imitating standard setups. Knowing when and why to adjust your lighting approach directly influences your results, making your portraits feel genuine and expressive.

Few films have left as indelible a mark on culture as The Wizard of Oz. Released in 1939, it introduced the world to groundbreaking visuals and unforgettable characters, all while delivering a universal message about courage, friendship, and finding your way home.

You are going to learn how to book more photo clients now! It’s easier when you ask the right questions. This blog will guide you through the first client meeting. It's the most important meeting where they decide who to hire and for what budget.

Family portraits can be a challenge, especially when you're working with larger groups, such as grandparents with grandchildren. Capturing these moments in a way that feels natural yet beautifully lit can be tricky, but it’s important for creating memories that last a lifetime. Lighting becomes a key factor when you want to ensure everyone is evenly illuminated and the setting feels organic, not overly staged.

I listen to podcasts every day on all sorts of topics, including photography. Thus, I began thinking about how you start a podcast from scratch and whether, ultimately, you can turn them into money. I asked a veteran podcaster these questions and more.

Whitening a subject's teeth is one of the most common adjustments a photographer has to make to images, and similarly, you may have to do the same thing for video work. This great video tutorial will show you how to use Premiere Pro to whiten your subject's teeth.

Portrait editing is about guiding the viewer's attention directly to the subject’s face, and Lightroom Classic has powerful tools specifically designed for this purpose. Learning how to subtly enhance facial features and manipulate backgrounds can significantly elevate the visual impact of your portraits.

Photography and video have some crucial differences between them, but perhaps the most important similarity between them is that good lighting is crucial to getting the best results. If you are new to video and working on building your skills, check out this great video tutorial that will show you a variety of different lighting modifiers and how to use them to create professional-level results.